Love and Brain Jacking
by Neeko96
Summary: A slight AU Soulmate story where the clues are more subtle, and harder to understand. Warning: Soul Mate Traits may result in alien brain jacking and hiding from Audrey Bourgeois. Rated for mild stuff to be safe.


**So I read a few interesting soul mate AU stories. Some were crazy with tattoos (still adorable though) and some had some very fascinating quirks. This is my attempt at using more subtle methods for the idea. Considering i jumped on the band wagon at around 11 last night and finished near 2, I think I'll have plenty of weirdness in here. Bare with me, I worked hard.=^-^=**

**Basic things:**

**-It happens after 16, but only if they've met their soulmate.**

**-Sometimes it's so subtle people don't notice it which is why not everyone is happy.(The real world sucks and hated to be excluded)**

* * *

Adrien climbed out of his car as soon as it pulled up to the school building. It was just another day, even if it was the day he was born. His father never wanted him to have a party. His friends were... not up to the Agreste standards. The only ones he could have done anything with were Chloe, who drives him nuts like a dog in heat, and Kagami who went back to Japan a few months ago. It's not supposed to be permanent, but she couldn't say when she'll be back.

His sub-par friends, only according to his father, were his home away from home, but ever since entering Lycee his father's only gotten more strict. Sure, he did need a little more protection from the more rabid fans, but his friends shouldn't be included in that. He would gladly let the Gorilla follow him out with his friends, just to be able to do it! But no... He could see his friends at school enough apparently. "Hey dude!" Nino greeted as he dashed up with Alya in toe. "You won't believe it, but last night I just confirmed me and Als are soul mates!"

Adrien rolled his eyes. "I thought that was obvious."

Alya grinned as Nino shook his head. "No dude, I mean our soul mate trait. Last night I had this weird dream, and when I mentioned it to Alya, it turned out to be one of the Akuma chases she'd had about a month ago. Isn't that crazy!?" Sharing a memory in a dream? That's a bigger clue than most people get, but still maybe not?

"You sure she didn't tell you before?" Adrien countered thinking about it.

"No, he was able to tell me word for word what I said on one of the outtakes I took that day. I don't show those to anybody... I do keep them though. Never know when they'll come in handy." She winked since the situation showed her point.

"Yeah, dude, and I've had a few other weird dreams like that too. I just never thought they were Alya's memories. It was always so weird." He hugged his girlfriend with a hyped grin on his face.

"I only wish I remembered my dreams. They're gone the minute I wake up." Alya shrugged. "Oh well. It's not like we needed the clue to find each other anyway." Her expression then brightened as she noticed the approach of her sleepy friend. "Marinette! Wake up!" Alya dashed over to hopefully prevent the designer from tripping on the stairs in her dazed state.

"Huh?"

"Seriously girl, you're gonna hurt yourself if you keep that up. Also, Adrien's watching." She whispered at the end.

If Marinette heard, she didn't show it. "Hmm?" She turned to look before turning back to the building. "Morning..."

"Wow, you must've been on a roll last night. When did you go to bed?"

"Morning.." Marinette repeated again.

Alya sighed and turned back to the boys. "I'm going to take her to grab a coffee from the cafeteria. Go on without us." Adrien looked to Nino and shrugged with a grin. Whenever he usually saw Marinette first thing she was nervous, this was an interesting contrast in a sleepy cute kind of way.

* * *

Marinette was more fully awake in class with a steaming cup in her hand. As soon as she was deemed coherent Alya went on to tell her about finding out her soul mate was her boyfriend. "That's great Alya, but I had a feeling you two were destined for each other."

Alya gave her a hug. "Not everyone figures out the soul mate trait."

"It's about 1 in 5 thing I'm pretty sure." Marinette agreed as she took another sip.

"Too bad huh? Wouldn't it be awesome to find yours is a certain blond?"

The designer spit out her sip with a harsh blush on her cheeks. "Alya!" She whisper yelled hoping the boys didn't hear. They sat several seats back in this class, but still.

"Calm down girl, really. You know I'm right."

Marinette sighed with a smile grin. "I do but... I can't get my hopes up like that. Besides, when a trait can be as subtle as a powerful sense of déjà-vu, I may never even notice when mine comes." It was sad in cases like that. Everyone had some strange trait or occurrence that was supposed to lead them to their soul mate. Of course, it couldn't be as obvious as a tattoo or a red string of fate. No, it would be the smallest thing. She'd even heard of one pair suddenly sharing an allergy; one having developed it when they met the other. That's why it was so hard to figure out what it was. Once a pair was together, however, it usually went away soon after having served its purpose.

Her favorite story was of her parents though, and it was romantic if ever there was a word. Her mother and father shared food cravings. Yes, that sounds so romantic, but it wasn't that simple. The two of them would share the craving at the same time and go to the same place for it. A truly destined meeting even if it took a few dozen for them to get the message. "Well, soul mate or not, you should still keep hope. I mean, me a Nino obviously didn't need it. You could finally get up the courage and ask him out after... how long? 2 years?"

Marinette slumped forward and flipped open her sketch book. "I'm giving him his present at lunch, in person this time. Can't that be enough this time?"

Alya rolled her eyes. "Only if it works... this time. Your previous attempts well..." Marinette hid her face over her sketch book as she started to draw to distract from her friend. Five minutes before the teacher would start, and it never felt so long.

* * *

Adrien stared as his page of notes with a confused expression. They'd started pretty normal, but on the second page... well they weren't notes anymore. He had no idea when he'd gotten so distracted. He remembered Chloe answering he phone in class, and then Marinette knocking her bag over trying to get her tablet. Nothing really odd, and nothing to make him think of this. It actually looked like a suit, though that's as much as he understood. All of the little details and lines were beyond him. He was a model so he wore the clothes. All he had to do was follow directions, the designers worried about the little things. That's what made this so bizarre. He had no idea what Gorge had to do with a collar or what the point of a vent was on fabric. Was it made of metal? This is about as confused as he got when he looked at his father's designs.

"Yo, dude, you coming?" Nino called with his bag over his shoulder and ready to move on.

"Uh... yeah, yeah, just a second." Adrien closed the book and slipped it in his bag. He'd worry about it later.

"I'm gonna go grab something with Alya, you wanna join us?"

The blond shook his head. "You know what my dad will say if I'm not home for lunch?"

Nino chuckled dryly. "You mean later tonight because that's when you **might** see him?"

"Nino."

"I got it dude, but seriously? We barely get to hang maybe once a week now. He really needs to loosen the leash he puts on you." Adrien agreed, and would love to shout that to the heavens... of course his father would only give him that look, and threaten even less time with his friends.

"H-hold on Adrien." The boys stopped at the call to find Marinette heading their way with Alya on her heels.

"Hey, sorry I can't come for lunch again."

"No, it's fine. We all know how your father feels." Marinette was beginning to rival a tomato as she whisked her arms from behind her back. "I just wanted to say happy birthday." It was a little bag with a ribbon to tie it shut. "Enjoy your lunch." Alya silently cheered from behind her. She had her doubts of this actually going smoothly, but third time's the charm right?

"I.. Thanks Marinette." He took it with a minor blush of his own.

"It won't be as cool as what I gave him." Nino bragged over his shoulder with a teasing grin.

"Few things can top what you promised to keep a **secret**." Adrien responded trying to hold a smile.

"Did I say what it was? Chill dude. Let's go Als." He whipped around his flustered friend to take up the hand of his girlfriend. "Marinette coming?" He whisper asked.

"She'll catch up with us." Then the two snuck out as they left their friends behind.

Adrien smiled at the handmade mittens he found in the bag. "These match that hat you made me perfectly." The hat, which she made last year, was the same light blue as the mittens, and the scarf though he still didn't know she'd made that.

"That was my intention." She responded trying with all her might to keep her words clear. She was much better at talking to him now, but not always when they were alone... in situations like this.

"Mission accomplished I'd say."

"I really wish you could join us for lunch Adrien, so we could celebrate a bit more, but it would be awful to get in trouble on your birthday." Marinette wore a sympathetic expression for him.

He agreed with a nod as he placed the gift in his bag. "Yeah, and I really wish I could go too. I can try ask about lunch tomorrow? He might be in a good mood because it's my birthday?" Though the most his father did to recognize the occasion was a gift; Usually an ornamental pen, but he's been surprised before.

"Well, just let us know. It would be fun." That's when the conversation awkwardly dried up and Marinette started slowly backing away. "Well... See you in physics?"

"It's a date." He joked as he passed the frozen designer on his way out.

* * *

A couple of weeks later Adrien was completely over the disappointment of not being allowed out to lunch with his friends. He'd been allowed to have Nino over for some homework twice last week. TWICE. It may have been his father trying to appease the surly teenager, but that was still more than normal. It was something. Of course, maybe it wasn't something to really celebrate for the average teen, but he took what he could get.

That, however, wasn't the only distraction he had. He'd been slowly growing a collection of mysterious designs he didn't remember doing. This latest one was a dress of all things!? He knew next to nothing about dresses except what he heard the designers tell to the female models. He knew plenty of terms thanks to his father's many attempts to teach him when he was younger, but that didn't mean he knew what they meant. "I'm beginning to think this is some kind of elaborate prank."

Plagg looked over his shoulder. "What, someone is planting these in your notebooks?"

"Yeah... or maybe I'm being mind jacked by aliens." He added in with an eye roll.

"Aliens wouldn't waste their time on this." Plagg corrected. "Plus, isn't that your handwriting?"

Adrien shoved the page into his folder. "Yeah, but I still don't remember drawing or writing any of it. You got a better answer?"

Plagg shrugged. "Maybe you're a secret design genius or something? I mean your papa-sicle is a good designer. Maybe you inherited his talent and only just now see it? Or maybe you fall into a semiconscious trance in order to fulfill a secret desire to please your father." Adrien gave him a pointed glare at that one. "You going to tell me I'm wrong?"

The boy sighed. "As if wanting my father to be proud of me would make me suddenly able to design like him? That's more than a stretch."

"I was being sarcastic and you know it. Of course, you're also talking to the millennia old kwami of destruction so.." He shrugged. "Maybe?"

"Nope, going with mind jacking aliens." Adrien then proceeded to shove the folder into his bottom desk drawer.

* * *

By the end of the month he needed a new folder. The one he was currently using to keep the alien designs in was bursting at the seams. "Those aliens sure are bored huh?" Plagg mused as he tossed up a slice of Camembert.

"Shut it, Plagg." Adrien growled back.

"Just saying."

"Yeah, I know, but don't." The agitated model was now trying to straighten up the folder after placing his newest piece inside.

"You could make a whole book with all that."

"And call it what? Daydreams of a high school brain jack victim?" Adrien responded dryly.

"Nah, doesn't really roll off the tongue." The teen rolled his eyes and put it back in the drawer.

"Adrien?" He heard Nathalie call from his doorway. "Your friend is here to pick you up." Adrien snapped up and turned to her as she opened the door. "Your father also wants me to remind you that your body guard must be with you at all times. Lose him once, even by accident, and don't expect to do anything like this again." She declared sternly though her expression was sympathetic. Even she realized his father was way too controlling.

"I can live with that." Adrien grabbed his bag and hurried over to her with smile showing he'd forgotten what he was angry about 10 seconds ago.

"Have fun." She told him with a soft smile.

"I can guarantee that. Thanks, Nathalie." She watched him go without letting that smile falter. It was about time he was allowed to go to a party even if his own birthday was against the rules. She was happy to see her subtle hits to Gabriel were finally getting through a bit.

She was about to close his door when she noticed one of his desk drawers was open. He must have been putting something away at the time, and now her OCD for organization was gnawing at her to fix it. She was just about to close it when she noticed the bulging folder inside. Several papers were sticking out at off angles, and it was odd for Adrien to keep school work like that. She pulled it out to straighten them, but froze the moment she opened it. She couldn't quite believe what she saw, but as soon as she realized what she indeed was seeing, she rushed off with the folder in hand. "Gabriel!"

* * *

Marientte's birthday party was as fun as he'd imagined, and he got to spend more time this year. Normally he only had time to give her a present and greet people. Something always came up to suck up the time. Either an akuma, or some sudden whim of his father, but not this year. This year his father told him he could spend exactly 2 hours at the party. His father was a stickler for deadlines, so giving this one meant he guaranteed that time. "Thank you so much Adrien!" Marinette blushed as she held up the fabric swatch. It was extra from his father's last line, and Nathalie had given it (Smuggled it out for him when he begged her) to him when he asked.

"I know how much you like to sow and design."

Marinette just couldn't help the impulsive hug she threw at him. He hadn't expected it at all, but did his best not to fall over from the sudden force. "This will be perfect for that dress I was planning to do, and maybe even some accents!"

Adrien pat her back trying to figure out exactly what to do with his hands for this extended hug. He liked hugs, he just didn't get them often. Ladybug more than anyone would do it after one of their harder akumas if they had the time. This hug actually reminded him of her since she and Marinette were around the same height. "I'm glad you like it. I didn't think I could out do those mittens you made me, but I tried."

She finally let him go and a blush bloomed on her face. "Believe me, you succeeded."

Adrien shook his head. "Believe me, I didn't." He shot right back before another of Marinette's friends shoved a gift in her hands.

When his time was up, she sent him away with a box of sweets, and yet another hug. "Thank you so much again. I'll use every inch of it."

"Then I'd love to see what you make." He then waved and got into his car. He was only able to see Alya grab her in a hug next before the party was out of view. If he could only go to one party a year then he was glad it was Marinette's instead of his own. She makes things fun, and the snacks are the best.

It wasn't a long drive back home, but he did find the time stretching as he tapped at his knee. He fiddled a bit with his bag before feeling a pencil, and pulling out his notebook. He thought of what Marinette might make with the fabric. Whatever it was it would be beautiful, that was for sure. Having been caught up in his thoughts he didn't even notice when the car stopped out front. He was still in his own mind long after his body guard came around to open the door in confusion. It wasn't until he heard his name that he snapped out of it. "Adrien?"

He jumped at his father's voice. He looked up to see him standing by the door with a curious smirk on his face. "Father?" Adrien looked around. They were still at the gates. Since when did his father leave the house to welcome him home?

"Yes, will you be joining me inside?" His father asked in a calm but curious tone.

That's when he realized his body guard and Nathalie were also watching him curiously. "Uh... sorry..."

"No apologies needed, son." Adrien scrambled to put his notebook away, but his father took it from him. "Let me get that. Did you just do this one?" He asked which confused Adrien until he looked at what was on the open page.

"I uh... yes?" He was only partly sure since he didn't remember doing it like usual.

His father wore an impressed grin. "Well, done then. I like the short ruffle along the skirt as well as the neckline here." He pointed as he gestured to the drawing. It was a dress, and based on what he'd seen before, and impressive one.

"Uh, thanks." He was able to make it sound less like a question, but his father didn't miss the odd tone.

"What's wrong Adrien? Did you not want me to see it? Or any of them for that matter?"

Adrien froze with the box of sweets in hand. "Any of them?"

"Yes, I ran across this folder when I went to close a drawer in your desk." Nathalie informed with a slight smile.

"Why didn't you tell me you were making designs? All this time I though you had no interest!" Gabriel was smiling the widest he'd ever smiled for his son.

Adrien didn't really know what to do with it. He didn't want to say anything about it simply because he didn't get it, or know how he did it. Now, his father thinks he's a designer? How was he going to explain that one!? "I uh... did think they were a big deal?"

Gabriel wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "A big deal, Adrien, there are several designs in here I would even consider for my next line. Of course, they're still rough, but with some minor alterations they would be perfect." That's when his father hugged him, an action he received maybe once or twice a year. "I honestly didn't believe it when Nathalie came to me with these, but watching you just now? You definitely inherited a designer's eye."

Adrien couldn't stop the grin he felt at hearing his father's praise. If it wasn't for the fact he was the one receiving it in person, he'd never believe his father praised anyone so openly. It made him feel... what was the word? What do you feel when a normally cold as ice father rains pride over you out of nowhere? Whatever you called it, it felt great! His father guided him in and continued to praise details he remembered from the designs. Once all the uproar died down, however, it hit him once again. As he sat on his bed after spending a dinner where his father did more talking than he remembered in his whole life, it hit him. He didn't remember how he designed any of it. "Shit..."

"Aw come on kid, now what? You were so happy a second ago, and I swear your dad's the one that was alien brain jacked now."

Adrien fell back with his hands over his face. "I don't know anything about designing Plagg. Don't you get it!? You think my dad's gonna be happy when he looks over one of my designs and asks me 'what made you go with this cut' or hem or whatever designers ask!? He's going to know something's off."

"So you can't just tell him you were brain jacked by aliens?" Adrien peeked through his fingers with a glare. "Fine, sheesh. Couldn't you tell him you just got inspired? Don't artist claim that all the time when they don't want to explain the process?" Plagg tried again as he leaned on his paws.

"My dad won't accept that. He doesn't even accept that from his lead designers! He even fired one of them because a dress was changed slightly from 'inspiration' Plagg! He was so proud, and now..." He heaved a sigh. "He just going to be disappointed."

"I don't get why. It's not like you've been training to be a designer all these years. You model, play piano, fence, learn foreign languages... heck, everything but design things really. What can he really complain about when you suddenly have this miraculous ability to design things without knowing what you're doing." "

You should know my dad by now Plagg." The kwami groaned with an eye roll. "I've seen the guy lecture you about punctuality from a **tablet,** Adrien. Honestly, the worst I see happening is he goes right back to is papa-sicle ways."

Adrien rolled onto his side. "Yeah... you're right..." A harsh reality to be sure, but honestly? As soon as this whole thing comes out that's probably what'll happen. "Tomorrow, father will have me in his studio to talk about one of his favorites from the folder. I'll tell him it just came to me, and not have any clue why, and... hell, if it doesn't end up in an argument somehow, it'll me a miracle."

Plagg looked at his depressed chosen and let out a sigh. He normally hated going out when he didn't have to, but sometimes he had to take one for the Camembert. "Why don't we go out for some air?"

* * *

Marinette was still giddy over the fabric Adrien had given her for her birthday. She was now on her 3rd dress alteration. All four of the sketches were so similar only a designer would see the difference. She just had to make it just right so she wouldn't waste the fabric. "No maybe a sweet heart neckline would work better?" She mused to herself before hearing a tap at her window. She looked up to meet eyes with a familiar cat themed hero as he waved at her. "Chat?" She unlatched the window and he opened it. "What are you doing out? Is there an akuma?"

He shook his head as he crouched at the edge. "No, just checking in. A little birdie told me today was your birthday."

Marinette blushed. "Really? Who could've-" "Tsk tsk tsk, curiosity killed the cat you know."

"Did you forget you were the cat here?" She shot back with a teasing grin.

"Touché, but I will still not reveal my feathered sources."

She rolled her eyes and waved him in. It won't be the first time he's stopped by to talk, so it would be better to do it inside where is was warmer. "Something on your mind Chat Noir?" She asked as he hopped down without another word. He was usually very talkative, unless he was thinking.

"Uh... I guess. I'm not bothering you am I?" He looked at the designs laid out on her desk.

"Not really. I was just going over little details for the dress I was going to make. One of my friends gave me a swatch of designer fabric for my birthday." She stroked the fine material as it sat on her trunk. "I need to make sure it's perfect before I start."

Chat chuckled. "I suppose you wouldn't want to waste it huh?"

"Nope, especially considering who gave it to me." She had a very fond expression as she thought about him.

Chat noticed immediately and blushed a bit under his mask. "A very good friend I take it?"

"The best." She gushed. "He normally can't stay long when we hang out, and he only stayed for half an hour last year for my birthday." She then stopped and blushed even more. "And here I am going on about me. Didn't you say you had something on your mind?"

Adrien nodded finding Marinette strangely forward tonight. She was usually more shy and nervous to start with. "Uh, yeah, I kind of have a problem I was trying to work out before finding myself here."

She gave a nod and had him sit on her chase. "Well, if you're here, then you tell me about it. After all, you listen when I have a problem."

Chat sat and twiddled his thumbs a bit. "Well... this problem isn't really something I can go into too much detail with... you know?" He gestured to his mask.

"Then vaguely explain to me your friend's friend's problem." She encouraged with a giggle at her own joke. She was definitely still happy about the gift.

"I guess uh... I've been doing something recently I guess. Something I couldn't do before, and I don't know how?"

Marinette was, of course, confused. "Doing something new and you don't know how?"

Chat sat back a bit and gestured with his hands as he elaborated. "It's like, when I do it, my brain's on auto pilot. I don't even realize what I've done until I do it you know?"

Marinette tapped her chin. "So... it's like you've been brain jacked by aliens?" Chat was so shocked by the remark he didn't laugh right away. Instead he looked at her for about a minute before falling on his side in a laughing fit. "Shhh! Quiet down Chaton, or my parents will hear you!" She whisper yelled with a finger over her lips. Chat slapped a hand over his mouth as he continued his uncontrolled fit. "Come on Chat, it wasn't that bad of a joke." She admitted with an embarrassed blush. This is what he did all the time when they were fighting, was it wrong for someone else to pull out the bad jokes?

"I-I'm sorry, Marinette. I wasn- wasn't trying to be mean." He was finally calming down as he held his sides. "It was really funny I promise."

Marinette raised a skeptical brow as she crossed her arms. "Well, joke aside, was I right?"

"Right on the money actually." Chat Noir responded as he sat back up with a smile. He certainly picked the right day to drop in on Marinette that was for sure.

"So you just do it, and snap out of whatever trance at the end?" She asked again once she was sure he was back in the conversation.

"Yeah, and now it's got me in a bind. Someone noticed me doing it, and now I can't explain to them I don't know how I did it."

Marinette thought about it a moment. It was hard to really grasp without specifics. "Okay... uh, like what? Give me an example, but a different one then what you do."

Chat played with his tail as he looked around for an idea. "I sketch out designs for clothes and don't know how I do it." Once he said it, it was too late. He was supposed to be giving a different example. "Or wait-"

"So as an example, you design a dress, but don't realize you've done anything until your done drawing?" She continued on like he wasn't panicking at all.

"Uh... yeah, sounds right." She thought it was a lie? Well, better than her believing in this case. What would she think when she caught Adrien doing it?

"Was your birthday recent?" She suddenly asked and Chat didn't have a mind to be vague.

"Yeah, you know this actually started that same day." He chuckled at the coincidence before noticing Marinette's serious expression. "What?"

"I think this is your soul mate trait. Your clue to find who you're destined to be with." Chat's mouth opened like he was going to say something, but changed his mind. "Did that really never occur to you?"

"Well... no."

"Well why not?"

Chat was now blushing again. "Uh well... because I thought I already knew who my soul mate was." He finally admitted as he twirled his tail around his fingers. "And this is just so weird. I thought soul mate traits were always more... subtle. Alien mind jacking isn't subtle."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Well my mama and papa hat a trait that caused them to constantly meet in town. Always the same place at the same time for the same reason. As far as I can tell, it's just supposed to hint at who your soul mate is. Who said it had to be subtle? There are plenty of people who would love for theirs to be obvious you know." She argued feeling a little jealous herself. 16 was supposedly the age when it can start, but it rarely happens immediately, though it can.

"Well this one may get me in trouble if I can't figure it out."

"Well then, figure it out. This thing you do probably has something to do with your soul mate."

"Marinette? Are you okay up there?" Marinette jumped at her father's voice. She quickly rushed Chat out with a quiet apology before going to see her father. "I'm fine papa. Did you need me?" Chat watched from the window as she jaunted down the steps. Her last words had him really thinking... maybe he wasn't being alien brain jacked? Maybe he was being soul mate brain jacked? It somehow didn't bother him even when he had another episode the minute he got home. It didn't feel as odd anymore.

* * *

When he spoke to his father the next morning it went as well as he expected; horrible. He decided to tell him flat out he had no idea how he made those designs, and not say anything about Marinette's hypothesis. He didn't remember doing them, and he had no idea what most of those terms meant. His father's tone turned to cold disappointment soon after. He didn't yell, or admonish, or ground him like he thought. He simply ended the conversation with "I see" before dismissing him for school. That almost hurt more. Plagg was right when he said his father would go right back to how he was. That's what he did.

The only exception was when he'd occasionally ask if he'd designed anything new. Adrien handed over what he had, and no more words crossed between them. It almost felt like this was another new job. Like when he modeled because he was the face of Gabriel. He gave his designs because he was a part of Gabriel.

He didn't have as much time to wallow in the return to normalcy because Hawk Moth started a roll. Akuma's popped up several times a week, and after a month Adrien had finally had enough of it. He walked down the steps of school with every intention of ditching his body guard. He just wanted some free time. Was that too much to ask? When his father was finally giving him more freedom, Hawk Moth has to go and suck it all up! "Adrien?" He turned to see Marinette waving at him with concern. "Are you okay?"

His foul mood faded at her concern. If there was something good about the last few weeks, it was how open Marinette was. She never stuttered, or confused her words anymore. It was like whatever worried her when he was around suddenly left. Good riddance. She was pretty when she smiled. "Hey Marinette, I'm fine I just..."

"You're not fine, Adrien. I can tell you're upset." She stated matter of factly.

He sighed with a small smile. "I am but I'll be fine. I just wish I had more free time that's all."

"I suppose you would. You're father hates for you to be out during an akuma attack." She recalled taking his hand in hers to try and make him feel better.

He squeezed it to show his thanks. "Yeah, and I get it, but I feel..."

"Trapped?" She finished when he trailed off. "I can see that. Trying to ditch your body guard was a big give away."

"How did you know?" He immediately asked since he was still heading in the right direction.

"I didn't." She grinned at him as he face palmed.

"Oldest trick in the book."

"Yup, but don't take it out on the big guy. Plus, you know it'll just make your father angry. That'll just end with you having even less freedom."

He sighed as his shoulders slumped. "I was trying to deny it."

"Denial is a river in Africa." She corrected as she turned him towards the car parked out front.

"A classic." He mused as he looked back at her. "Thanks."

"Geography is important you know." She continued as he walked away with a wave.

"Yup, and I needed the reminder." As soon as he opened the car door he looked back at her. She was waving at him with a smile. This new not so shy Marinette was really growing on him. And her jokes were right up his ally. It wasn't until he was fully seated with the door closed did he realize his father was in the car with him. "F-Father?"

"Was that Marinette Dupain-Cheng?" He asked without acknowledging Adrien's surprise.

"Y-yeah, she was saying good bye."

"Is she moving?" He wondered seeming almost... worried?

"No, just going home... why?"

Gabriel laced his fingers together and got straight to the point. "Have you done any more designs?"

Adrien nodded with a sigh as he took out his notebook. "Yeah, but couldn't this wait until I got home?"

His father took a look but didn't take the notebook. "It would only be 15 minutes later, Adrien." He pointed out while not taking offense to his son's tone. "I thought it might be a good change of pace to come pick you up myself. It does an artist good to do something different every once in awhile. Your friend, Marinette would agree, she's an aspiring designer isn't she?"

Adrien nodded with a soft smile. "Aspiring is an understatement. She already does plenty of commissions, and she's won a couple of your contests too."

"Ah, I think I can recall those. One of them was a hat wasn't it?"

Adrien nodded again, but Gabriel's attention was on his son's hand. It had fished out a pencil. "Yeah, and you know Jagged Stone personally asked her to design 2 of his album covers? And his new jacket too."

Gabriel raised a brow at the way his son spoke of her talent, but his eyes were still on the pencil. The one that was now frantically working at the paper. Whether Adrien was aware of what he was doing or not, he was sketching... a jacket if his eyes were right. "I take it then that she plans for an artist track next year?"

"I'm pretty sure. She mentioned needing to take classes as early as possible so she can get into a University design program."

"Yes, the standard path of an aspiring designer in this day and age. I'm sure many will be on that path with her."

"She'll make it." Adrien declared as he cleaned up his sketch. He looked for all the world like he knew what he was doing. His eyes never strayed from the page. He erased and drew with intent. He even made notes around certain parts of the image.

"I have no doubts." Gabriel remarked before getting up from the car.

Adrien looked up to find they were already home. "Huh?"

"It's a nice jacket. Maybe a little too light for a winter collection." His father mused as he headed for the door.

Adrien jumped out as he glanced at his latest design. He remembered talking about Marinette to his father... when did he draw this?

"Hurry up Adrien. I need you to dress appropriately for dinner. We'll be having a guest."

"Huh?" Was all the teen had to say to his father's sudden declaration. It was going to be a weird night.

* * *

"Father?" Adrien knocked on his studio door. "Nathalie said you wanted to speak to me before dinner." He didn't hear an answer before the door opened.

"Yes, I do." Gabriel closed the door and stood beside a framed photo of the 3 of them from a few years ago.

"Um..." Adrien tried to start the conversation, but found he didn't know the words. Conversations were hard to start with a man who usually dismissed them.

"You're a lot like your mother you know." He began making Adrien feel more and more like this was going to be a weird night. "You have her eyes especially." He saw his father smile ever so slightly at that. Gabriel then turned to a photo Adrien hadn't seen out in awhile. "Did you know she designed her wedding dress?"

Adrien looked on the wedding photo fondly. His mom was happy, she usually was, but even his father smiled for this photo. "I didn't think she designed clothes." He remarked absently still enjoying the rare photo.

"She didn't... not really." He glanced back at his son before picking up the picture. "She never could tell me how she came up with that dress. I still take inspiration from it at times."

"You look happy in this picture." Adrien remarked causing his father's smile to falter a bit.

"I was. I couldn't think of a time that made me happier than when I married your mother. We were soul mates after all." He put the picture down and turned to his son. "Did I ever tell you how we met?"

Adrien furrowed his brow. He knew it had something to do with hiding, but it had been so long ago when his mom had told him. "No... I think mom tried though."

Gabriel chuckled. "I imagine she did. We met not long after Audrey Bourgeois picked up my designs for her magazine. I was late for a meeting with her and I ran into your mother outside the room. She'd planned to whisk her workaholic friend off for a surprise lunch during the time she was to meet with me." Adrien chuckled at that. "We didn't really talk then though. She glared at me when I went in, and had the meeting anyway, however." His son laughed a bit harder. "Yes it was rather amusing isn't it?"

"Well?" Adrien needed to hear more of this.

"Ah, well the next day my new designs were to be announced. Audrey, of course, needed the exclusive since she'd discovered me, that's what the meeting was about by the way." He added for clarification. "I was getting my portfolio in order to meet her in my studio when Emile barrels in out of nowhere. She shoves a design sketch in my face, and shouted 'here' at the top of her lungs."

Adrien raised a brow. "I don't think that's how she told it."

"Of course not, your mother would never admit to yelling at a perfect stranger like that, but it's what happened. She shoved it into my hands before hiding under my desk. 'Take the design and when Audrey asks, say you made it! You can keep it if you do that.'" Now Gabriel was laughing along with his son. It really was funny to think about.

"So, did you take it?"

Gabriel gave a shrug. "Not really, but I didn't give her away either. When Audrey came in minutes later I told her one of my interns dropped some sketches and Emile was kind enough to return one."

"So mom was your intern?" Adrien used air quotes as he asked.

"For a bit, but not really in that sense of the word. You see, your mother was having a problem. She was drawing designs to things without even thinking about it. She knew what Audrey would have done if she saw her with any of them and so she impulsively did the first thing she could think of."

"Find a designer and make them take credit before she was made up to be the next big name in fashion?"

Gabriel nodded. "Exactly. She'd apparently gone with Audrey that day, and the only designer she could think of was me because they were there to see my collection. From that day on, Emile would give me anything she came up with and put it under the name of some made up intern I supposedly had."

"And that's how you guys fell in love? Hiding from Audrey Bourgeois?"

"That's how your mother liked to put it." Gabriel mused with a chuckle. Adrien couldn't get over how his father laughed. Had he ever heard it? "Emile wasn't one to try and take credit for something she didn't do even if, in this case, she technically did."

Adrien was now confused again. "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Agreste? Your guest has arrived." Nathalie announced without opening the door.

"Thank you Nathalie, we will be right out."

"So? Why didn't mom take credit for her designs?"

Gabriel gave him a small grin. "Why didn't you take credit for yours?" That left Adrien at a loss for words. "It took us quite a while to realize what was going on, Adrien. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until a week before our wedding that it finally dawned on us." Gabriel declared as he began to walk his son back to the door.

"What?"

"That your mother's designs were her soul mate trait. The first time she'd ever designed anything was the day after she met me, and after that it was whenever she thought of me. That's why that intern's name needed to be such a closely guarded secret. By the time we were engaged, she had me up to my ears in new designs for every conceivable piece of clothing. The more I think back on it the more it felt so obvious. Her soul mate was a designer, so what better way to meet one than to become one yourself?"

"So your saying my designing is actually-"

"Ah, Miss Dupain-Cheng, thank you for coming on such short notice. I appreciate you accepting my invitation." Gabriel cut him off as they left the room to see Marinette at the bottom of the stairs.

"No, thank you for the invitation." She responded as she curtsied with a blush.

"Now now, Adrien, I taught you to greet guests." Gabriel scolded with minor amusement that he hid very well.

Adrien had been staring in shock at seeing Marinette dressed so formally in his house. Was that the fabric he gave her? She already finished the dress? Why hadn't he expected it to be this amazing? Oh wait... "Hello Marinette, welcome." He finally remembered to greet her. She started up the stairs. "You look beautiful in that dress."

"Thank you, Adrien. You look handsome in that suit, though I think if you're going to wear a tie that's not black, green might be your color." She then adjusted the charcoal colored tie ever so slightly for him. How she could see the difference was beyond him. He'd thought it was black.

"The dining room is ready." Nathalie announced as Gabriel ushered them in.

"Now, about what I invited you here for Miss Dupain-Cheng." Right that. To say she was surprised to find Nathalie waiting in her house after school was an understatement. Especially considering she had Gabriel waiting on a tablet to speak to her. "_As an aspiring designer, I'm sure you are planning for your future in the industry. As someone who has recognized your talent through several contests I would like to invite you for dinner at my home tonight to discuss that future with you."_

Gabriel took his seat at the head of the table and Adrien was surprised to find two settings right next to him instead of at the other end. "I have to admit it was a mostly selfish reason for which I invited you. While it does pertain to your future greatly, it also pertains to mine as well." Both teens were a little nervous once they sat down. Adrien could never relax at a table with his father especially when he was acting odd. Marinette was only reacting naturally to the Gabriel aura around him. "I was just speaking with my son about a very perplexing habit he's picked up. You see he has an odd tendency to sketch clothing designs whenever a certain someone is on his mind. Isn't that right Adrien?" His serious expression made it really hard to take a hint.

The teen in question blushed as he looked down at his dinner setting. "Uh... I think?"

"I didn't know you designed clothes Adrien." Marinette was suddenly excited at the prospect as she turned to him with a smile.

"That's exactly what I said when I found out."

"But I told you father, I don't know how I do it." Of course now Adrien's mind was in overdrive as what they spoke about before really sunk in.

"Yes, but soul mate traits can be very hard to explain. As I said before, designing is a good way for one to meet a designer." Gabriel reiterated as he looked from his son to the young woman on his right. Marinette was flustered and confused, but Adrien was even more so. He wanted so badly to crawl under the table and never come out. Maybe Marinette would join him? She was probably just as embarrassed and he liked having company for meals.

* * *

"So what happened next, girl, spill!" Alya implored as she sat on the desk in front of Marinette with a few other girls around them.

"Well, after getting through the embarrassing part, he offered me an internship with Gabriel. One that could end with me as one of his top designers."

Alya squealed along with Rose while the other covered their ears. "I can't believe it! When you texted me saying you were invited to dinner by Gabriel Agreste, I was sure you weren't coming out of there in one piece."

Marinette furrowed her brow. "What did you think was going to happen?"

Alya shrugged. "Maybe threaten to blacklist you because he thought you were after his son... which you kinda were now that I think about it."

"Not like that Alya!" The designer protested.

Meanwhile Adrien and Nino watched from several seats away. "So... disappointed?"

Adrien leaned on one hand with a shrug. "Is it weird that I'm not? I mean I thought for years about-"

"Ah, yeah, but be realistic man, Chat Noir was the one destined for Ladybug." Nino argued before Adrien got too far.

The young model chuckled at the irony. "You don't say, but I guess I got my own Ladybug."

"Yeah, what did you call her? Our everyday Ladybug? Would you rather have a hero a couple times a week, or one every day?" Nino teased as he looked at his finally less oblivious friend.

"That's one way to put it. It's definitely better than alien brain jacking, that's for sure."

"Uh, sure dude." Nino agreed not really getting that reference. "I'm just glad you finally realized how much you liked her. Watching you give her goo-goo eyes like nothing was wrong was getting painful."

"What are talking about?" Adrien argued with a blush.

"Oh basically what was basically an everyday occurrence since you were 14. Especially considering how much of a crush she's had on you since the day you two met. Alya wanted to strangle you both half the time."

Adrien was now hiding his face in his arm. "Oh come on, I already had to put up with this from my father, not you too."

"Sure, but there is one question I have before we drop it."

"What?" Adrien groaned from his arm.

"Well, if your soul mate trait was designing which is what points you to her, what was hers?"

* * *

**Take a wild guess people! It's something Adrien is good at, but not really easy to notice. Also, I had planned to have Gabriel mention how Nathalie was spending the month after the designs incident investigating, but couldn't fit it in right. Basically Gabriel was irked his son really didn't have the talent before the soul mate thing dawned on him. He's suddenly nicer to Adrien because think about his wife gave him a heart. (And mad him angry as Hawk Moth I suppose.) That's my two cents anyway. Hope you liked it!=^-^=**

**I also had a weird idea of writing a story where Adrien and Marinette switched lives in a way. Just them, not anyone else so Gabriel would have a daughter, Marinette, who liked to design. Adrien would be a baker's son. (Weird idea I know.)=^-^=**


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